Review the MSDS provided by the chemical manufacturer.

Identify the Potential Hazards A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is a chemical- or product-specific health and safety reference. It is prepared by the manufacturer of each hazardous chemical and contains much of the health and safety information necessary to perform a protocol risk assessment. You should consult an MSDS whenever you begin working with a new chemical and then periodically to see if the information has changed. Although the format for MSDS's varies widely, the information found within them is consistent and includes: Physical and chemical properties Health hazard information, including short- and long-term exposure effects Permissible exposure limits and symptoms of overexposure A description of how to safely handle the substance under normal and emergency situations A description of what first aid and medical treatment is appropriate if user is excessively exposed It should be noted that some of the health and safety guidelines in the MSDS have been written to address worst case scenarios which would be very unusual in the laboratory setting. Therefore, applying the information found in some MSDS's requires judgement. If you have any questions about a material you handle, contact the Office of Environmental Health and Safety.